Final NFL Mock Draft: All Seven Rounds

This took a while. The damn trades at the top made me start over twice too, but nevertheless, it is here. It's obviously going to all be spot on, so at least I have that going for me. In all seriousness, from the backend of round 1 to mid round 3 there are so many possibilities. So many players have certain traits that jump off the board and make you want to pound the table for them in round 1, yet there are also serious flaws in them too. No prospect is perfect, but the overall parity from 20-70 this year shocked me. It was in a good way though, as there are going to be a lot of day 2 starters in this draft. A ton. Trust me. Enjoy!

Round 1

1) Los Angeles Rams (From Tennessee Titans) - Jared Goff, QB, Cal
Goff is good. Like, really good. So just ignore anybody who implies that his hand size and "skinny" build make him a lesser QB. He has terrific accuracy, a strong arm, and plays with good anticipation too. The Rams are picking a QB with the top pick, and it might be Wentz, but Goff can play immediately and play well immediately too. Old school analysts like to say a player like Goff has never had success, but that's just an excuse. When you watch this kids game, he has so many great traits and can become a terrific NFL QB.

2) Philadelphia Eagles (From Cleveland) - Carson Wentz, QB, North Dakota State
Wow. I've had to change this mock draft two times thanks to trades from Tennessee and Cleveland now. Give Philly credit though, they're going up and getting their guy. Wentz has a big arm, athleticism, and according to coaches he has a really high football IQ.

3) San Diego Chargers - Laremy Tunsil, OT, Ole Miss
This isn't a sexy pick, but Tunsil is a rock. His pro day cemented his status as one of the few elite talents in this draft, and San Diego should be thrilled he falls to them. Phillip Rivers was forced to make magic out of nothing last season, so giving him an actual franchise LT is enormous.

4) Dallas Cowboys - Jalen Ramsey, DB, Florida State
The Cowboys should be thanking their lucky stars that arguably the best player in the draft falls to them at 4. Rod Marinelli gets one of the most versatile players in this entire draft, and it just so happens to fill a huge need too. I think Ramsey should play safety, but he can also play nickel corner when they need him too, and frankly they should just let him make plays. He immediately becomes one of the best players on an improving Dallas defense.

5) Jacksonville Jaguars - Myles Jack, LB, UCLA
One of the best players in the draft (with Ramsey and Tunsil IMO), the Jaguars should be thrilled with this pick. Jack is a swiss army knife and he is a playmaker. There are concerns about his knee which could lead to a draft day slide, but Jack is still incredibly talented and can make plays for a defense that lacked an identity last season. Also pairing Jack with Telvin Smith is just way to tempting.

6) Baltimore Ravens - DeForest Buckner, DT, Oregon
Buckner, Brandon Williams and Timmy Jernigan on the defensive line, yikes. I'm saying yikes for the teams that play them just in case that wasn't clear. Ozzie Newsome is one of the best GM's in the league, and he knows how much of an impact a strong defensive front can have. Buckner is the best value in this position, and he would be an immediate 3-down contributor. This is a classic Ozzie pick, and Buckner fits terrifically with the Ravens scheme too.

7) San Fransisco 49ers - Paxton Lynch, QB, Memphis
Baalke should get Chip Kelly his guy, and even though I think Goff would have been a better fit, Lynch is terrific in his own right. He's enormous and can just sling it. He needs to be groomed for sure, but the tools for success are there. 

8) Cleveland Browns (From Cleveland) - Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Ohio State
I know, this draft has been boring at the top so far. I'm not trying to be bold, I'm just trying to predict the best possible move for each team. Elliott is an immediate 3-down back, and as Urban Meyer said, "[Elliott] is the best player I've ever coached without the ball in his hand." That is really high praise considering everybody already knows how good he is WITH the ball in his hand. Elliott is the best talent left in the draft, and honestly it isn't even that close.

9) Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Joey Bosa, EDGE, Ohio State
Bosa falling to 9 is incredible value for a team that needs an edge rusher. Gerald McCoy is a stud, but getting him help in Bosa on the edge should make this D take a huge step forward. Bosa isn't perfect, but he can set the edge, be a disruptor in the run game, and if he works on his technique he could still end up being a perennial 10+ sack a year guy. There's a lot to like about Bosa, and this fills a huge need for Tampa Bay.

10) New York Giants - Ronnie Stanley, OT, Notre Dame
Stanley is another player who seems to be dropping on a lot of boards, and I'm not sure why. He's a stud in pass protection, and has a very high ceiling as a franchise left tackle. Ereck Flowers was not the answer as a left tackle last season (maybe he'll be better as a right tackle) and Stanley can be. A wide receiver would be very tempting here, but they could get way better value in the second round.

11) Chicago Bears - Shaq Lawson, EDGE, Clemson
Chicago grabs an amazing football player, and fills a huge need too. They need pass rush, Lamarr Houston and Pernell McPhee aren't enough, but damn with Lawson that group can be feared. Analysts seem to be split on Lawson, all I know is he's young, he can f****** play, and I would want him on my football team. Don't overthink it, he's a stud.

12) New Orleans Saints - Sheldon Rankins, DT, Louisville
The Saints are a tough pick. They need talent, just in general, and Rankins has that in spades. Playing beside a big NT like John Jenkins, Rankins can do what he does best, disrupt. Rankins has shown the ability to throw blockers off him, and he can be an enforcer on this defense from the beginning. New Orleans needs to get stronger upfront, and Rankins brings that to the table.

13) Miami Dolphins (From Philadelphia) - Reggie Ragland, LB, Alabama
I know, I know, Miami needs another cornerback. They also need an impact defender, and Ragland gives them a 3-down Mike for their defense. Playing behind Suh would free him up to make plays, and that's what he does best. His instincts are off the charts, and even though he's not a special athlete, he's an NFL athlete. The knock on him is he's a 2-down linebacker, but that's just not true. Just because he's not Kuechly in coverage, doesn't mean he can't hold his own, and I expect him to be a leader on this defense, and have a big immediate impact. Miami should also genuinely consider Jaylon Smith if it turns out his knee isn't completely ruined, as they are still lacking enough talent to compete in year 1 under Gase.

14) Oakland Raiders - LaQuon Treadwell, WR, Ole Miss
Treadwell would definitely be a luxury pick, but that offense takes another step if they draft him. Already Oakland has an elite offensive line, and their franchise QB in Derek Carr, but adding Treadwell to their core of Cooper and Crabtree would give them so many options on offense. Treadwell in the slot with Cooper and Crabtree on the outside would be incredible. They would have three players with size, athleticism, and who have terrific technique too, and this would put Oakland's offense over the top while helping their young QB grow even more. They could also look at off-ball linebackers such as Darron Lee or possibly Leonard Floyd (depending how they view him) with this pick.

15) Tennessee Titans (From Los Angeles Rams) - Vernon Hargreaves III, CB, Florida
This is a steal for Tennessee. Hargreaves has a case to go top 10, and he is one hell of a cornerback. People will knock his size, but that shouldn't matter if you're confident in the football player you're getting. Tennessee should be extremely confident. Think of a healthy Joe Haden, that's the type of football player you're getting. Decker would also be nice here, as would a defensive lineman like Billings, but going VHIII grabs incredible value with need too.

16) Detroit Lions - Taylor Decker, OT, Ohio State
The Lions should be looking at need along with value at this point. There is a case to be made for a dozen different players in the middle of the first round, and Decker fits the bill for a Lions team that struggled to consistently move the ball last season. Some scouts have Decker higher than Stanley, and even though I disagree with that, Decker is a terrific prospect in his own right. Whether he starts at left or right tackle for them, this improves the entire offensive line and possibly allows Riley Reiff to move to right tackle where he would probably excel.

17) Atlanta Falcons - Josh Doctson, WR, TCU
I'd like to make it clear, this isn't what I think Atlanta will do, this is what I would do if I were them. Sanu isn't a good number 2 wide receiver, and Josh Doctson can be a great number 1 receiver let alone a number 2 guy. He is the best jump ball receiver in the draft, and one of the best overall weapons in this draft. Matt Ryan would have no excuses with an improved offensive line, a good running game, and the dynamic duo of Julio Jones and Josh Doctson. Atlanta needs to get better on offense to really compete, and this would do just that.

18) Indianapolis Colts - Jack Conklin, OT/OG, Michigan State
Protect Andrew Luck. You had one job Grigson, and you couldn't figure it out. Conklin can help in this department, a lot. I'd have him slide in as the right tackle and play Mewhort at guard, but he gives you some flexibility. Conklin isn't the most athletic, but he's very technically sound and has an extremely high motor. Does a terrific job looking for work, so even when Luck holds onto the ball too long, Conklin can help. This offense has the potential to be the best in the league, but it all starts with protecting Luck.

19) Buffalo Bills - Kevin Dodd, EDGE, Clemson
Dodd fits terrifically with the Bills defensive line. He can slide in immediately as the strong-side defensive end, and playing beside Dareus, Williams and Hughes will allow him to play through any rookie struggles he may face. On the other end of the spectrum, his upside as a pass rusher and impact run defender is too tantalizing for Buffalo to pass on.

20) New York Jets - Darron Lee, LB, Ohio State
The speedy off-ball linebacker would fit in perfectly with this Jets defense. They have a hole at linebacker, and their defensive line would free Lee up to utilize his speed and just make plays instead of taking on blockers. Todd Bowles wants to get younger and faster on defense, and Lee helps with both.

21) Washington - Andrew Billings, NT, Washington
There have been many questions about his age, whether he's 20, 21 or 22, but I don't care, Billings is a beast. He is the strongest player in this draft, and it's not just flashy strength it's all fundamental strength. His power consistently shows up on tape, and he has surprising quickness too. Billings is a monster, and takes on multiple lineman better than anybody in the draft.

22) Houston Texans - Cody Whitehair, OG/C, Kansas State
The Texans should feel confident about their defense going into 2016, even without any additions there is talent on all levels (although they need an upgrade at safety). On offense, the additions of Osweiler and Miller are huge, but they should invest in making sure they can get the most production out of those two. Whitehair is as technically sound of an offensive lineman since Zack Martin, and he is a plug-and-play player anywhere on the line. With the losses of Ben Jones and Brandon Brooks, Whitehair brings terrific fit to go along with great value.

23) Minnesota Vikings - Michael Thomas, WR, Ohio State
Wide receiver seems to be the most obvious route for Minnesota to go, and Michael Thomas is the best available. He is a terrific receiver and I think is becoming very underrated in this draft. He has size, athleticism and is a great route runner. Paired with Stefon Diggs, they could make a formidable pair for Teddy Bridgewater. Corey Coleman would be another great option, but I think Thomas is a better overall receiver and a better fit for the Vikings.

24) Cincinnati Bengals - Corey Coleman, WR, Baylor
Another wide receiver who could be off the board much earlier, but the Bengals will gladly take him here. Coleman is just explosive. He's very raw and needs to show he can consistently run routes (as most Baylor wide receivers do), but he has an abundance of talent. Even without Hue Jackson, I think Cincinnati can get a lot out of him right away, without putting too much pressure on him.

25) Pittsburgh Steelers - William Jackson III, CB, Houston
This has become somewhat of a trendy pick in mock drafts, but I like it. He's probably a year or two away from really becoming a reliable full-time starter, but his length and speed are too appealing for a Steelers team that has been shaky at best in the secondary in recent years. He has an incredibly high ceiling, and could be a shut down cornerback. Considering this is late in the first round, that upside alone is terrific value.

26) Seattle Seahawks - Germain Ifedi, OT/OG, Texas A&M
Seattle is an incredibly well-balanced team, and a perennial contender, but man does their O-line suck. Ifedi has the perfect build of an offensive lineman, long arms, and is incredibly athletic. He could immediately replace J.R. Sweezy next season, and be even better right from the get go. If Seattle can allow him time to grow and develop, he could be a star. Incredibly high ceiling, and as a late first round pick, this pick has good value too.

27) Green Bay Packers - Jarran Reed, NT/DT, Alabama
Billings would be nice here too, but Reed falls into the Packers lap and fills a huge need too. B.J. Raji is taking a sabbatical, and the Packers don't have the same depth on their defensive line as they did last season. Reed is an instant impact run defender, and while he currently won't bring much in the sense of rushing the passer, he can still develop that part of his game and to start he can try and eat space for the playmakers across the Packers D. An ILB would be nice here too, but the defensive line must be addressed too.

28) Kansas City Chiefs - MacKensie Alexander, CB, Clemson
Cornerback height is like quarterback hand size to me. It is a factor, but it isn't the ONLY factor. Alexander is 5'10, but he can play. Pairing him with Marcus Peters gives KC a potentially dominant cornerback duo for the next decade. Alexander needs to be more consistent, but he has flashed the instincts and ability to be a shutdown cover corner.

29) Arizona Cardinals - Ryan Kelly, C, Alabama
The Arizona Cardinals are in win-now mode, and this is a terrific pick for just that. Ryan Kelly can immediately slot in as their starting center, and be a leader on that offensive line. On tape, he plays with a non stop motor and good technique, and he would help open up huge holes in the run game for David Johnson.

30) Carolina Panthers - Karl Joseph, SS, West Virginia
Joseph is getting so much buzz as of late, and he should be the first safety off the board come draft day. He's one of the rare safeties that could be an impact player in both run and pass defense. Carolina will be tempted to go with a CB here, especially after the Norma debacle, but Joseph represents terrific value, an immediate high-quality starter, and a terrific fit with Kurt Coleman at the back of this stellar Panthers.

31) Denver Broncos - A'Shawn Robinson, DT, Alabama
Going QB is tempting, as is offensive line, but the strength of this team is on defense, and after losing a couple players in free agency they should focus on keeping their defense strong. Robinson has terrific size to be a terror for opposing offenses, and he has shown on tape he can flat out play. He's not as polished as Jarran Reed, but he has higher upside as he's shown flashes of being able to rush the passer.

*New England Patriot's 1st round pick forfeited.

Round 2

32) Cleveland - Leonard Floyd, LB, Georgia
33) Tennessee - Josh Perry, LB, Ohio State
34) Dallas - Noah Spence, Edge, Eastern Kentucky
35) San Diego - Chris Jones, DT, Mississippi State
36) Baltimore - Eli Apple, CB, Ohio State
37) San Fransisco - Hunter Henry, TE, Arkansas
38) Jacksonville - KeiVarie Russell, CB, Notre Dame
39) Tampa Bay - Shon Coleman, OT, Auburn
40) New York Giants - Darian Thompson, FS, Boise State
41) Chicago - Robert Nkemdiche, DT, Ole Miss
42) Miami - Artie Burns, CB, Miami
43) Tennessee (From Los Angeles) - Jason Spriggs, OT, Indiana
44) Oakland - Jaylon Smith, LB, Notre Dame
45) Tennessee (From Los Angeles) - Kamalei Correa, EDGE, Boise State
46) Detroit - Vernon Butler, DT, Louisiana Tech
47) New Orleans - Emmanuel Ogbah, EDGE, Oklahoma State
48) Indianapolis - Kenny Clark, DT/NT, UCLA
49) Buffalo - Joshua Garnett, OG, Stanford
50) Atlanta - Su'a Cravens, LB, UCLA
51) New York Jets - Connor Cook, QB, Michigan State
52) Houston - Sterling Sheppard, WR, Oklahoma
53) Washington - Jayron Kearse, FS, Clemson
54) Minnesota - Keanu Neal, SS, Florida
55) Cincinnati - Austin Johnson, NT, Penn State
56) Seattle - Kendall Fuller, CB, Virginia Tech
57) Green Bay - Will Fuller, WR, Notre Dame
58) Pittsburgh - Jerald Hawkins, OT, LSU
59) Kansas City - Shilique Calhoun, EDGE, Michigan State
60) New England - Jordan Jenkins, EDGE, Georgia
61) New England (From Arizona) - Christian Westerman, OG, Arizona State
62) Carolina - Xavien Howard, CB, Baylor
63) Denver - Cardale Jones, QB, Ohio State

Round 3

64) Tennessee - Willie Henry, DT, Michigan
65) Cleveland - Jonathan Bullard, DT, Florida
66) San Diego - Vonn Bell, S, Ohio State
67) Dallas - Derrick Henry, RB, Alabama
68) San Fransisco - La'Raven Clark, OT, Texas Tech
69) Jacksonville - Braxton Miller, WR, Ohio State
70) Baltimore - Nick Martin, C/OG, Notre Dame
71) New York Giants - Deion Jones, LB, LSU
72) Chicago - Paul Perkins, RB, UCLA
73) Miami - C.J. Prosise, RB, Notre Dame
74) Tampa Bay - Roberto Aguaya, K, FSU
75) Oakland - Maliek Collins, DT, Nebraska
76) Tennessee (From Los Angeles) - Connor McGovern, OG, Missouri
77) Cleveland (From Philadelphia) - Nick Vannett, TE, Ohio State
78) New Orleans - Vadal Alexander, OG, LSU
79) Cleveland (From Philadelphia) - Jeremy Cash, SS, Duke
80) Buffalo - Hassan Ridgeway, DT, Texas
81) Atlanta - Kentrell Brothers, ILB, Missouri
82) Indianapolis - Kevin Peterson, CB, Oklahoma State
83) New York Jets - Alex Collins, RB, Nebraska
84) Washington - Devontae Booker, RB, Utah
85) Houston - Christian Hackenberg, QB, Penn State
86) Minnesota - Tyler Boyd, WR, Pittsburgh
87) Cincinnati - Sheldon Day, DT, Notre Dame
88) Green Bay - Landon Turner, OG, North Carolina
89) Pittsburgh - Jalen Mills, FS, LSU
90) Seattle - Max Tuerk, C, USC
91) New England - Jordan Howard, RB, Indiana
92) Arizona - Dak Prescott, QB, Mississippi state
93) Carolina - Carl Nassib, DE, Penn State
94) Denver - Evan Boehm, OC, Missouri
95) Detroit (Comp. pick) - Bronson Kaufusi, DE, Brigham Young
96) New England (Comp. pick) - Daniel Braverman, WR, Western Michigan
97) Seattle (Comp. pick) - Jack Allen, C, Michigan State
98) Denver (Comp. pick) - Kenyan Drake, RB, Alabama

*Kansas City's 3rd round pick forfeited.

Round 4

99) Cleveland - Joe Haeg, OT, North Dakota State
100) Philadelphia (From Tennessee) - Rashard Higgins, WR, Colorodo State
101) Dallas - Leonte Carroo, WR, Rutgers
102) San Diego - Austin Hooper, TE, Stanford
103) Jacksonville - Miles Killebrew, SS, Southern Utah
104) Baltimore - Kenneth Dixon, RB, Louisiana Tech
105) San Fransisco - Malcolm Mitchell, WR, Georgia
106) Chicago - Rashard Robinson, CB, LSU
107) Miami - Charles Tapper, DE, Oklahoma
108) Tampa Bay - Javon Hargrave, DT, South Carolina State
109) New York Giants - Scooby Wright III, ILB, Arizona
110) Los Angeles - Dominique Alexander, ILB, Oklahoma
111) Detroit - Zack Sanchez, CB, Oklahoma
112) New Orleans - John Theus, OT, Georgia
113) Los Angeles (From Tennessee) - Jordan Payton, WR, UCLA
114) Oakland - Sean Davis, CB/S, Maryland
115) Atlanta - Kyler Fackrell, EDGE, Utah
116) Indianapolis - Tyler Matakevich, ILB, Temple
117) Buffalo - T.J. Green, FS, Clemson
118) New York Jets - Kyle Murphy, OT, Stanford
119) Houston - Jonathan Williams, RB, Arkansas
120) Washington - Cyrus Jones, CB, Alabama
121) Minnesota - Sebastian Tretola, OG, Arkansas
122) Cincinnati - KJ Dillon, SS, West Virginia
123) Pittsburgh - Adolphus Washington, DT, Ohio State
124) Seattle - Charone Peake, WR, Clemson
125) Green Bay - Eric Striker, LB, Oklahoma
126) Kansas City - Jihad Ward, DE, Illinois
127) Chicago (From New England) - Denver Kirkland, OG, Arkansas
128) Arizona - DJ Reader, NT, Clemson
129) Carolina - Jason Fanaika, DE, Utah
130) Baltimore (From Denver) - Spencer Drango, OG, Baylor
131) Green Bay (Comp. pick) - Kenny Lawler, WR, Cal
132) Baltimore (Comp. pick) - Jatavis Brown, LB, Akron
133) San Fransisco (Comp. pick) - Kolby Listenbee, WR, TCU
134) Baltimore (Comp. pick) - Keyarris Gerrett, WR, Tulsa
135) Dallas (Comp. pick) - Jerell Adams, TE, South Carolina
136) Denver (Comp. pick) - Cole Toner, OT, Harvard
137) Green Bay (Comp. pick) - Willie Beavers, OT, Western Michigan
138) Cleveland (Comp. pick) - Yannick Ngakoue, EDGE, Maryland
139) Buffalo (Comp. pick) - D.J. White, CB, Georgia Tech

Round 5

140) Tennessee - Eric Murray, CB, Minnesota
141) Cleveland - Joe Schobert, LB, Wisconsin
142) San Fransisco (From San Diego) - Juston Burris, CB, N.C. State
143) Oakland (From Dallas) - Will Redmond, CB, Mississippi State
144) Denver (From Baltimore) - Pharoh Cooper, WR, South Carolina
145) San Fransisco - Graham Glasgow, OG/C, Michigan
146) Jacksonville - Blake Martinez, ILB, Stanford
147) Miami - Deiondre' Hall, CB, Northern Iowa
148) Tampa Bay - Harlan Miller, CB, Southeastern Louisiana
149) New York Giants - Jonathan Jones, CB, Auburn
150) Chicago - Fahn Cooper, OT, Ole Miss
151) Detroit - Aaron Burbridge, WR, Michigan State
152) New Orleans - LeShaun Sims, CB, Southern Utah
153) Philadelphia - Roger Lewis, WR, Bowling Green
154) Oakland - Ronald Blair, DE, Appalachian State
155) Indianapolis - Darrell Greene, OG, Mountain Westl
156) Buffalo - Matt Judon, DE, Grand Valley State
157) New York Jets - Bryce Williams, TE, East Carolina
158) Washington - Nick Vigil, ILB, Utah State
159) Houston - DeAndre Houston-Carson, FS, WIlliam & Mary
160) Minnesota - Jared Norris, ILB, Utah
161) Cincinnati - Maurice Canady, CB, Virginia
162) Kansas City (From Seattle) - Kevin Hogan, QB, Stanford
163) Green Bay - Tom Hackett, P, Utah
164) Philadelphia (From Pittsburgh) - Keith Marshall, RB, Georgia
165) Kansas City - Isaac Seumalo, OG, Oregon State
166) Houston (From New England) - James Bradberry, CB, Samford
167) Arizona - Ken Crawley, CB, Colorodo
168) Carolina - Moritz Boehringer, WR,
169) Detroit (From Denver) - De'Vondre Campbell, LB, Minnesota
170) Arizona (Comp. pick) - Mike Thomas, WR,Southern Mississippi
171) Seattle (Comp. pick) - Travis Feeney, LB, Washington
172) Cleveland (Comp. pick) - Justin Simmons, FS, Boston College
173) Cleveland (Comp. pick) - Joe Dahl, OG, Washington State
174) San Fransisco (Comp. pick) - Anthony Zettel, DE, Penn State
175) San Diego (Comp. pick) - James Cowser, EDGE, Southern Utah

Round 6

176) Cleveland - Mitch Mathews, WR, Brigham Young
177) Los Angeles (From Tennessee) - Kevin Byard, SS, Middle Tennessee
178) San Fransisco (From Dallas) - Tajae Sharpe, WR, Massachusetts
179) San Diego - Morgan Burns, CB, Kansas State
180) Minnesota (From San Fransisco) - Ben Braunecker, TE, Harvard
181) Jacksonville - Ufomba Kamalu, DE, Florida
182) Baltimore - Tyvis Powell, FS, Ohio State
183) Tampa Bay - Demarcus Robinson, WR, Florida
184) New York Giants - Joe Thuney, OG, NC State
185) Chicago - Cody Core, WR, Ole Miss
186) Miami - Beau Sandland, TE, Montana State
187) Washington (From New Orleans) - Brandon Doughty, QB, Western Kentucky
188) Philadelphia - Matt Ioannidis, DT, Temple
189) Dallas (From Oakland) - Daryl Worley, CB, West Virginia
190) Los Angeles - Alex Lewis, OT, Nebraska
191) Detroit - Nate Sudfeld, QB, Indiana
192) Buffalo - Romeo Okwara, DE, Notre Dame
193) Tennessee (From Atlanta) - Clayton Fejedelem, SS, Illinois
194) Oakland (From Indianapolis) - Beniquez Brown, LB, Mississippi State
195) Houston (From New York Jets) - Adam Gotsis, DT, Georgia Tech
196) New England (From Houston) - Brandon Shell, OT, South Carolina
197) Tampa Bay (From Washington) - Geronimo Allison, WR, Illinois
198) San Diego (From Minnesota) - Kavon Frazier, FS, Central Michigan
199) Cincinnati - Tyler Ervin, RB, San Jose State
200) Green Bay - Thomas Duarte, TE, UCLA
201) Jacksonville (From Pittsburgh) - Rees Odhiambo, OG, Boise State
202) Detroit (From Seattle) - Avery Young, OT, Auburn
203) Kansas City - Antonio Morrison, ILB, Florida
204) New England (From Chicago) - Austin Blythe, C, Iowa
205) Arizona - Jordan Walsh, OG, Iowa
206) Chicago (From Carolina) - Jacoby Brissett, QB, NC State
207) San Fransisco (From Denver) - Peyton Barber, RB, Auburn
208) New England (Comp. pick) - Tyrone Holmes, LB, Montana
209) Baltimore (Comp. pick) - Nick Kwiatkoski, ILB, West Virginia
210) Detroit (Comp. pick) - Jordan Lucas, SS, Penn State
211) San Fransisco (Comp. pick) - Victor Ochi, LB, Stony Brook
212) Dallas (Comp. pick) - Paul McRoberts, WR, Southeast Missouri State
213) San Fransisco (Comp. pick) - Kelvin Taylor, RB, Florida
214) New England (Comp. pick) - Nile Lawrence-Stample, DT, Florida State
215) Seattle (Comp. pick) - Darius Jackson, RB, Eastern Michigan
216) Dallas (Comp. pick) - Stephen Weatherly, DE, Vanderbilt
217) Dallas (Comp. pick) - Kyle Friend, C/OG, Temple
218) Buffalo (Comp. pick) - Andy Janovich, FB, Nebraska
219) Denver (Comp. pick) - Temarrick Hemingway, TE, South Carolina State
220) Pittsburgh (Comp. pick) - Ricardo Louis, WR, Auburn

Round 7

221) Tennessee - Parker Ehinger, OG, Cincinnati
222) Cleveland - Jalin Marshall, WR, Ohio State
223) San Diego - Aaron Wallace, EDGE, UCLA
224) Seattle (From Dallas) - Hunter Sharp, WR, Utah State
225) Jacksonville - Ka'imi Fairbairn, K, UCLA
226) Miami (From Baltimore) - Bralon Addison, WR, Oregon
227) Denver (From San Fransisco) - Terrance Smith, LB, Florida State
228) Pittsburgh (From New York Giants) - Drew Kaser, P, Texas A&M
229) Chicago - Caleb Benenoch, OT, UCLA
230) Miami - Anthony Brown, CB, Purdue
231) Tampa Bay - Kevon Seymour, CB, Southern California
232) Philadelphia - DeAndre Washington, RB, Texas Tech
233) Oakland - Stephen Anderson, TE, Cal
234) Houston (From Los Angeles) - Devon Cajuste, TE, Stanford
235) Detroit - Nelson Spruce, WR, Colorodo
236) New Orleans - Cayleb Jones, WR, Arizona
237) Atlanta - Chase Farris, OG, Ohio State
238) Indianapolis - Trevon Boykin, QB, TCU
239) Minnesota (From Buffalo) - Michael Jordan, CB, Missouri Western
240) New York Jets - Jake McGee, TE, Florida
241) Washington - Jay Lee, WR, Baylor
242) Denver (From Houston) - Nila Kasitati, OG, Oklahoma
243) Minnesota - Darius Latham, DT, Indiana
244) Cincinnati - Kavon Frazier, FS, Central Michigan
245) Pittsburgh - Josh Forrest, LB, Kentucky
246) Seattle - Vernon Adams, QB, Oregon
247) Green Bay - Deon Bush, FS, Miami
248) Kansas City - Briean Boddy-Calhoun, CB, Minnesota
249) New England - Jakeem Grant, KR/WR, Texas Tech
250) Philadelphia (From Arizona) - Jimmy Pruitt, CB,
251) Carolina - Byron Marshall, WR, Oregon
252) Denver - Vincent Valentine, DT, Nebraska

AFC East Breakout Candidates 2015

Buffalo Bills

Stephon Gilmore, CB: Get ready for Gilmore to join the elite group of cornerbacks in 2015. Health has held him back these past couple of years, but if he can stay injury free then he is in for a huge year. Gilmore has the size, athleticism and ball skills to join the upper tier of cornerbacks, and he is in a terrific position with Buffalo to do just that. Rex Ryan has had a lot of success with defenses in general, and he often relies on great cornerbacks (Revis and Cromartie) to anchor his defenses. Ryan will be able to get the most out of Gilmore, and the Bills have arguably the best front 4 in all of football (between them and St. Louis) to aid Gilmore even more. I'm predicting a big jump from Gilmore, and for him to have 5 interceptions by seasons end.

Miami Dolphins

Jelani Jenkins, OLB: Jenkins has games where he is the best player on the field. He can be a tackling machine that plays all over the field. The problem is that there are games where he is very quiet and has such a small impact on the field. I'm going to bet on the former becoming more of a regular appearance in 2015. Jenkins is very good in coverage, and he also looked solid as a pass rusher too. Where he struggled at times was against the run, but lucky for him the Dolphins invested in Ndamukong Suh to beef up their D-line. This should give Jenkins more space to operate, and allow him to use his athleticism to flourish. I'm predicting Jelani Jenkins to have 135 combined tackles, with 3 interceptions and 4 sacks.

New England Patriots

Dominique Easley, DT: Easley is another year removed from his ACL tear, and should be in line to play a lot of snaps for New England. Alan Branch and Sealver Siliga are not good starters to have, and the Patriots have two very talented young players in Easley and Malcolm Brown waiting to replace them. Since I don't mention rookies as breakout candidates, I won't talk about Malcolm Brown, but Easley is a talented interior pass rusher and penetrator, and can be a key cog in a talented Patriots front seven. New England will rely on him to step up because they lost Vince Wilfork in the middle, and need another threat in between their ends. Even though he won't play nose tackle like Wilfork, he can eat up space in the middle to give the Pats linebackers space to work their magic. What's working against him is his health. He has torn both of his ACL's in his career but if he can stay healthy I'm predicting 4 sacks, and for him to be an impact run stuffer too.

New York Jets

Calvin Pryor, SS: What better way to retool a struggling secondary then by signing Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie and Buster Skrine. They also have an incredible defensive line to support their secondary. This puts Calvin Pryor in a perfect position to do what he does best, hit hard, make plays and strike fear into opponents. Todd Bowles has a better Deone Buchanon to use in Calvin Pryor, and with a substantially better secondary, this allows Bowles to play Pryor to his strengths. He had a solid rookie season, but at times he struggled with consistency and went through expected rookie struggles. If he can fix a few technical issues, he could turn into a terrific safety. This kid is a flat out playmaker and he should begin to realize his potential next season. I'm predicting 80 total tackles, 3 interceptions, 1.5 sacks and a handful of bone crushing hits.

#DeflateGate

So the news today is that Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots, will not appeal. That means that he accepts the $1 million fine, and the loss of his 2016 1st round draft pick, and 2017 4th round draft pick. This has absolutely nothing to do with Brady's appeal, the expectation is that Brady will still appeal, and his suspension will probably be overturned to 2 games.

This all seems a little strange to me, as the initial reaction from the Patriots was an extraordinarily negative one, and that they were going to fight through the entire process. I think the media is missing something, because the initial reaction from Kraft and this decision don't add up. Unfortunately I think the situation isn't quite over yet, and there's going to be Deflate-Gate 2: Revenge of the Pats.

Offseason Outlook 2015: Miami Dolphins

Offense

What a difference an offseason makes. The Dolphins are coming in with a revamped roster, and a new swagger. Offensively, they will bank on Ryan Tannehill. He has a lot of differing opinions about him, but the truth is that he is a good quarterback. Not spectacular, but he was above average last year and he's still young so expect even more development. The running back situation relies almost solely on Lamar Miller this year, and he had a very underrated year so that isn't a bad situation to be in. I'm also a big believer in Jay Ajayi who was drafted in the 5th round this year by Miami, if he stays healthy he can be a terrific compliment to Miller. There was a lot of turnover for the Dolphins at the wide receiver position. Jarvis Landry is still going to be leading the pack, most likely playing out of the slot most of the year, but new additions in Kenny Stills, Greg Jennings and first round pick DeVante Parker make this an exciting and talented group. If the Dolphins get DeVante Parker to step up immediately, then look out rest of the NFL because this can be a very explosive offense. Parker has terrific hands and size so he will be a perfect red zone target for Tannehill. Speaking of red zone targets, the Dolphins also signed Jordan Cameron to a 2 year/$15 million deal to replace Charles Clay who they lost in free agency to the Bills. While Cameron doesn't exactly have Clay's flexibility, he could be a better asset in the passing game and for the development of Tannehill. On the offensive line, the Dolphins are in a tricky situation. Brandon Albert is healthy, which will have a huge impact on the Fins. They also have Mike Pouncey who is a good center, and Ja'Wuan James who showed real promise last year at tackle. The issue is that their guards on the roster are not good. There is no way around this, they lack talent at guard and it could hurt them once the year starts. That being said, don't let the lack of depth inside sway you from believing in this offense. It will produce, and most likely it will produce more then last year. I'm sure fans are happy about trading the ever so frustrating Mike Wallace as well, and the weapons for Tannehill look a lot better. There should be a lot of growth in this offense, and a top 10 offense is not out of the question. In fact, they finished 11th in points per game last year, a top 10 offense should be expected from this Dolphins team.

Defense

Ndamukong Suh. The big man on campus. His arrival brings a lot of excitement to an already talented Dolphins defense. Suh is an elite defensive tackle, and paired up with the Dolphins other elite defensive linemen in Cameron Wake, they should have no trouble in bringing the heat on opposing quarterbacks. Oliver Vernon, who is the DE opposite Wake, also showed a lot of promise last year, and could be even better this year. The Dolphins saw a bit of a transformation on defense this year too, as they traded Dannell Ellerbe and released Phillip Wheeler. They have Koa Misi at ILB, who was a quality starter last year, and Jelani Jenkins at weak side line backer who showed tremendous flashes but struggled with consistency. In the secondary, the Dolphins have a star cornerback in Brent Grimes. He can shut down the opponents number one wide receiver and is a very valuable asset for this Miami squad. The Dolphins also have Reshad Jones at safety who is a great player, and they re-signed Louis Delmas who will be a solid starter for them this year. They lack the depth at cornerback to have a shutdown secondary, as their second cornerback and slotback are both unproven players. This is a defense with a lot of star talent on it. There are some holes at cornerback and potentially linebacker, but if Wake, Suh, Grimes, and Jones play up to their potential, this defense will wreck havoc on opposing offenses. Expect them to end the year around the top ten in fewest points allowed per game as this is a talented squad, but there still are some questions.

This could be the year for the Dolphins. The Patriots are not looking as strong as reigning Super Bowl champions should look because of DeflateGate and Tom Brady is suspended. The AFC East is an incredibly tough division with all the roster moves every team has made, but the Dolphins were on the brink of a playoff berth last year, and one should be expected this year. It's still tough to bet against Brady and the Pats for the division, but a wildcard berth and a playoff win or two isn't completely out of the question for a young, talented Dolphins squad.

Offseason Outlook 2015: New England Patriots

Well after Deflategate, I figured I may as well look into the Patriots team. And even with some roster losses, it still looks pretty freaking awesome.

Offense

Yes, Tom Brady is suspended the first four (probably 2) games. That's irrelevant, the Patriots still have one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. When a team has an elite QB, they are going to have a potent offense no matter what. Luckily it's not just Brady, the Pats have some weapons too. Rob Gronkowski is the cream of the crop when it comes to New England. Gronk puts in work, and having that type of premier talent helps Brady (or Garoppolo) out big time. New England also signed Scott Chandler, and they have Timothy Wright, so TE depth is not an issue either. At wide receiver, Julian Edelman, Brandon LaFell, and Danny Amendola are the three that the Pats will be counting on. All three are solid wide receivers, with Edelman being the best of them, but nothing crazy should be expected out of them. New England has built a respectable offensive line. Nate Solder at left tackle, and Sebastian Vollmer at right tackle are a formidable duo. Inside is where they struggle. Brian Stork is very young and he could still end up being a good center, the recently drafted Tre' Jackson should help with the depth at guard, and Ryan Wendell is decent too. Josh Kline also put in a solid year last year, but he'll be monitored this year and possibly replaced if the time comes. At running back is where the Patriots have issues. This is a very, very thin group of unproven backs. It is led by LeGarrette Blount, who could be okay in an increased workload, but will start the season suspended. The depth is James White, Jonas Gray, Brandon Bolden, and Travaris Cadet. This group is unproven and unspectacular, but knowing Bill Belichick he will get 200 yard games from each of them at some point. The offense is still centred around Tom Brady, and it will rely on him until he retires, but we'll cross that bridge when we get there because right now the Pats offense looks threatening again, and should have no trouble being in the top 5 in points scored, like they have been for the past 5 years.

Defense

Bill Belichick has built one heck of a defense. The only real hole is at cornerback. The loss of Revis, Browner, and the releases of Dennard and Arrington hurt. Now the Patriots will rely on Super Bowl hero Malcolm Butler, Logan Ryan, and Bradley Fletcher to shut down opposing wide receivers. So that is pretty rough. The Pats front seven is deadly though. Vince Wilfork is another big loss, but they drafted Malcolm Brown to be an interior pass rusher, which is not really what Big Vince was for, but nonetheless he can be a difference maker inside. Their duo at DE is Rob Ninkovich and Chandler Jones who are both very good players. If Chandler Jones can stay healthy, expect a monstrous season out of the long armed pass rusher. They also signed Jabaal Sheard who I think will end up being the biggest bargain value in free agency. He'll be a great pass rusher, and can play the run well too. The scariest part about New England's defense is definitely their linebackers. Dont'a Hightower, Jerod Mayo (hopefully he can stay healthy), and Jamie Collins are all outstanding players and will be the difference in the Patriots having an okay defense, or an elite defense. Fortunately for the Pats they resigned their biggest priority this offseason. Not Darrelle Revis no, but Devin McCourty. He is the heart of that secondary, and he'll patrol center field for them making big plays and playing incredible football. This defense should see some regression, as they had big losses at cornerback and they lost Vince Wilfork too. Although that shouldn't worry Pats fans, as they are getting Jerod Mayo back for hopefully more then 6 games this year, and the development of their young linebackers and Chandler Jones should make up for some of the losses.

Pats fans are used to this, but an 11-12 win season should be expected again this year. The AFC East did get a lot stronger this offseason, and Tom Brady is suspended, but that won't be enough to keep them out of the playoffs. Eventually another team will win the AFC East, just not this year, especially after the offseason the Pats had with them being under investigation for Deflategate. Expect them to come out swinging this season.

The Patriot Way

This article is not about deflategate. Assuming Tom Brady's suspension holds, even though I doubt it will, he will miss a quarter of the season. If they go 0-4 (not saying they will just hypothetically) then that might be to much to come back from. So obviously losing Tom Brady hurts, but how does the team look with Garoppolo and how much of a downgrade is he from Brady?

The Patriots aren't in a horrible position right now contrary to what certain media members are implying. They have all offseason to prepare Jimmy Garoppolo to be Tom Brady's short-term replacement, and in limited time last year in the preseason and in relief of Brady for a handful of games he looked like a solid QB. It's a small sample size to analyze, but Bill Belichick is a smart coach, and Josh McDaniels is a terrific offensive coordinator, so they will put him in a situation to succeed. With that being said, Tom Brady has raised the level of play of every player around him for the past decade and a half, but Jimmy isn't Tom. So even though fans should be cautiously optimistic, there still should be the obvious expectation that the offense will drop off in some capacity. The exact drop off of talent from Brady to Garopollo is unknown at this point, but what can be analyzed is what should be expected in the first four games for the Patriots.

Pittsburgh Steelers @ New England Patriots: Thursday, September 10th, 2015
This will be the Patriots first test, but at least they have it at home. Facing Ben Roethlisberger is never an easy task, especially to open a season up. Luckily for the Patriots, the Steelers will be without their star running back Le'Veon Bell. The Steelers should be a good team this year, but this is a winnable game. The Steelers defense is still not back to an elite level, and even though they added some young talent in the draft, this is one of the better teams for Garoppolo and the Pats to launch their season with. Offensively, Pittsburgh will be a huge challenge. The loss of Darelle Revis will be tested early and often, as the Steelers have one of the best wide receivers in the NFL in Antonio Brown, and very few cornerbacks have the speed to keep up with him. I think this game ends up being close, as both of these historic franchises will come out swinging, but I predict the Patriots to come away with the win at home 27-23. (Yes I know it's way to early to predict scores, so complain if you will, but everybody else is doing their hot takes so I don't want to feel left out.)

New England Patriots @ Buffalo Bills: Sunday, September 20th, 2015
Wow so they have ten days between games. Just realized that. Theoretically this will be Garoppolo's last game because Brady will most likely win his appeal and get it down to two, so they can focus on this one game for 10 days, which is terrific for the Pats. Unfortunately for them, it is against a scary Buffalo Bills defense. The Bills are going to bring the heat in this game, especially under new head coach Rex Ryan who for some reason always plays the Patriots really hard. I think this will be a tough game for New England to win, and I actually have the Bills winning this in a tight game 17-16.

Jacksonville Jaguars @ New England Patriots: Sunday, September 27th, 2015
Like I said before, I am completely expecting Tom's suspension to be reduced to 2 games, but at this point it is 4 so let's look at the Jags game. The Jaguars are a young up and coming team (I go in depth on them in an offseason outlook article if you're interested) but on paper they still are no match for the Patriots even without Brady. Expect Gronk to have a big game here and for Bill Belichick to be too much to handle for the Jaguars. I'm giving the Pats a 27-17 win.

New England Patriots @ Dallas Cowboys: Sunday October 11th, 2015
The Patriots have a bye in week 4, so they face the Cowboys in week 5 which will be Brady's last game not playing if his suspension stands. On paper, this isn't a bad matchup. Dez Bryant will be a lot to handle for the Patriots, but apart from Dez, this is a pretty good game to not have Tom for. The Cowboys defense is slowly starting to take shape, but even though they have been drafting to fill needs on defense recently, they shouldn't strike fear in any team's hearts just yet. This is another great matchup for Gronkowski, as Dallas on paper at this point in the offseason has no linebacker, safety, or cornerback that can guard him. Garoppolo shouldn't be under too much pressure this game. Dallas has some good young defensive ends, but up the middle they are very thin. Dallas was not a good passing defense last year either, so expect Josh McDaniels to draw up some plays to attack them through the air from the get go. I expect Dallas to put up some points, but the Patriots will still be too much for them to handle as they win 24-23 in a close game.

If the Patriots can pull a 3-1 start to the season without Brady, then look out rest of the NFL. Bill Belichick has been lucky enough to have an elite QB for most of his coaching career, but that doesn't mean he can't win without one (*cough* Matt Cassel *Cough*). So even though part of me wants to predict wins for the Steelers and Cowboys over a Brady-less Patriots team, Belichick is too smart to not have something dangerous up his sleeve, and it should be expected from the rest of the NFL too.

The NFL Just Deflated The Patriots Balls

Wow. The hammer has been dropped, and it is heavy. The Patriots will be fined $1 million, they will lose their 1st round pick in 2016, 4th round pick in 2017 and on top of that Brady is suspended 4 games next year. The expectation is that Tom Brady will appeal and the suspension will be reduced to 2 games, but the loss of draft picks come as a shock. This in a sense is a bigger team loss then the Bountygate scandal the Saints had a few years ago as they lost two 2nd round picks among personnel suspensions and a fine of $500,000. This is a big blow although in a way it was expected. Although this just makes the Patriots scarier next year, once they get Brady back, they are still the team to beat and it seems like the NFL may have just poked the bear.